Cops And Courts

The Ocean City Police Department this week received a generous donation from Macky’s Bayside Bar and Grill totaling $5,000, which will be earmarked for the OCPD K-9 and Mounted units. The money donated by Macky’s was collected as a cover charge at the Life is Good Music Festival in May. The funds will be used for the care, training and gear for the canines and horses of the OCPD. Pictured above, Pam and Macky Stansell present the donation to Police Chief Ross Buzzuro, center. Submitted Photo

Tiffany T. Cornett

Missing Del. Teen Traced To Resort

OCEAN CITY — A Delaware teen missing since April has been connected to Ocean City after calling family members from a resort convenience store last Friday.

Delaware State Police and allied agencies have been searching for Tiffany T. Cornett, 17, of Camden-Wyoming, Del. since she was last seen by her family on April 2 at her residence on Homestead Drive. Cornett left her residence on her own free will and had not been in contact with her family in over four months. However, investigators got a break in the case late last week when Cornett called her mother and brother from a 7-Eleven store in Ocean City on Friday.

Cornett is described as 5’8” tall and roughly 180 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes, although she may have changed her hair color and style. She has also been known to fake a British accent, according to Delaware State Police. Anyone with information about Cornett’s whereabouts is urged to contact DSP Detective Jones at (302) 741-2817 or by using the DSP mobile crime tip application at http://www.delaware.gov/apps/. Information may also be provided by calling Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333, or via the Internet at www.tipsubmit.com.

Carlos O. Mejia

Prostitution Arrest

BERLIN — A Seaford, Del. man was arrested on charges of solicitation of prostitution of a minor after allegedly engaging in sexual intercourse with a juvenile in Worcester County this week.

Around 10 a.m. on Tuesday, the Worcester County Bureau of Investigation (WCBI), with assistance of the Criminal Enforcement Team, the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office, the Maryland State Police and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) arrested Carlos O. Mejia, 34, of Seaford, Del., and charged him with solicitation for prostitution and sexual solicitation of a minor. The joint investigation revealed Mejia had traveled from Seaford to an undisclosed location on northern Worcester County in order to engage in sexual intercourse with a 12-year-old juvenile.

On Tuesday, the Delaware State Police assisted WCBI in executing a search and seizure warrant on Mejia’s residence in Seaford. During the warrant execution, several items were seized to assist with the investigation. Mejia was held initially on a $25,000 bond on Tuesday. A preliminary hearing has been set for Sept. 9.

Hit-and-Run Shoplifter

Gets 13-Year Sentence

SNOW HILL — A Salisbury man arrested last December on assault and other charges after numerous citizen tips connected him to a hit-and-run involving a store employee at the White Marlin Mall in West Ocean City was sentenced last week to a combined 13 years in jail.

Last Dec. 10, the Maryland State Police and the Worcester County Bureau of Investigation (WCBI) were called to the White Marlin Mall in West Ocean City for a reported assault that had just occurred. During the investigation, it was revealed a store loss prevention employee at Marshall’s attempted to stop a shoplifter from fleeing the business.

The shoplifter took unknown items from the store and was followed by the loss prevention employee. The employee attempted to convince the suspect to return the items he had taken from the store. The suspect refused and entered a vehicle described at the time as a newer model “boxy-style” lime green vehicle, possibly a Kia Soul or Scion XB. The suspect then fled the scene, striking the store employee with the vehicle in the process.

The MSP and WCBI broadcasted a description of the vehicle along with a fairly good surveillance photo of the suspect. During the subsequent investigation, WCBI received numerous phone calls and other tips regarding the identity of the suspect. Using the information collected, WCBI detectives were able to positively identify the suspect as Mark Lee Donoway, Jr., 33, of Salisbury.

Based on the investigation, an arrest warrant was obtained charging Donoway with first- and second-degree assault, theft less than $1,000 and multiple traffic violations. Donoway was later apprehended in Wicomico County by members of the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force.

In May, Donoway entered Alford pleas to multiple counts including second-degree assault, theft and leaving the scene of an accident involving property damage and a pre-sentence investigation was ordered. In an Alford plea, a defendant does not plead guilty, but acknowledges the state has enough evidence to prosecute. Back in court last week, Donoway was sentenced to 10 years for the assault charge and three more years for the lesser charges, netting him a combined 13-year sentence.

Sex Assault on Minor

SALISBURY — A 25-year-old Mardela Springs man was arrested on sex offense and assault charges this week after allegedly having intercourse with a 15-year-old juvenile.

On Monday, the Wicomico Bureau of Investigation (WBI) met with the parent of a 15-year-old juvenile after they has learned their daughter had engaged in sexual contact with a 25-year-old man. An investigation was launched, which identified the suspect as Michael Marini, 25, of Mardela Springs. Information collected during the investigation provided sufficient probable cause that Marini had engaged in sexual intercourse with the minor. An arrest warrant was obtained on Monday and Marini turned himself in to the WBI on Tuesday. Marini has been charged with multiple sex offenses and second-degree assault.

Attempted Murder Sentence

SALISBURY — A Wicomico County man was sentenced last week to life in prison after attacking another man with a liquor bottle while the victim slept back in May 2013.

On May 16, 2013, a man identified as Brian Keith Hensley, 43, attacked an 18-year-old victim with a vodka bottle while the victim was asleep in a house on Ohio Ave. Hensley fractured the victim’s skull with the vodka bottle. He also robbed the victim of his wallet, cell phones and other personal property. Hensley was later arrested and charged with attempted first-degree murder and numerous other charges.

In February, a Wicomico County grand jury found Hensley guilty of attempted first- and second-degree murder, first-degree assault, armed robbery, reckless endangerment and related illegal drug counts and a pre-sentence investigation was ordered. Back in court last Thursday, Hensley was sentenced to life in prison for the attempted first-degree murder count. He also received concurrent sentences for the other convictions.

Swerving Leads To Bust

BERLIN — A Willards woman was arrested on marijuana possession charges last week after getting pulled over when a Worcester County Sheriff’s Deputy observed her swerving on Route 50 near Berlin.

Around 11 p.m. last Thursday, a Worcester County Sheriff’s deputy on patrol on Route 50 near Old Ocean City Blvd. in Berlin observed a vehicle swerving within its lane. The vehicle, driven by Miranda Bohn, 19, of Willards, then crossed the center line and the shoulder line several times.

The deputy stopped Bohn and detected an odor of marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. A search resulted in the location of a multi-color smoking device and a small glass jar containing marijuana. Bohn was arrested and charged with possession of marijuana and possession of paraphernalia.

Bike Thefts Reported

SALISBURY — Salisbury Police this week are calling for the public’s help to stem a rash of bicycle thefts in certain areas of the city over the last few months.

In the southern portion of the city alone, there have been 43 reported bicycle thefts since April. The incidents have been clustered around student housing areas near S. Division Street and Smith Street as well as residential areas in Princeton Homes, Presidents and Camden neighborhoods. In all, 13 suspects have been arrested, 10 of which were juveniles.

While some offenders have operated alone, most often the crimes have been committed by groups of two or more. In some of the incidents, concerned community members noticed the suspects behaving suspiciously and notified police, resulting is an arrest and the recovery of the stolen property.

This week, the Salisbury Police Department is asking the public to report suspicious persons or activity to law enforcement. Citizens are urged to pay particular attention to strangers traveling on foot or on bicycle in their neighborhoods, groups of juveniles loitering in residential areas where they do not live and a person or group traveling with extra bicycles. Community members are urged to report suspicious persons and activity to the Salisbury Police Department at 410-548-3165.

Driver Realizes Too

Drunk To Drive Too Late

BERLIN — An Elkridge, Md. woman was arrested for DUI last week after pulling over on the side of Route 90 near Route 113 after coming to the realization she had too much to drink to be safely driving.

Around 2:20 a.m. last Friday, a Worcester County Sheriff’s deputy was on stationary patrol monitoring traffic on Route 90 in the area of Route 113 when the officer observed a vehicle approaching from behind pull off on the shoulder, turn off its headlights and activate its emergency flashers. The deputy approached the vehicle and made contact with the driver, identified as Stephanie Ward, 30, of Elkridge.

When the deputy opened the door to speak to Ward, he immediately detected the strong odor of alcohol coming from her breath and person. When the deputy asked Ward if everything was okay, she told the officer she suddenly realized she was too intoxicated to drive, so she pulled over. Ward did poorly on field sobriety tests and was placed under arrest for driving under the influence of alcohol.

Featured Stories

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